In the midst of trials, the ancient Israelites were inclined to want to rely on their own strength. Isaiah perceived that such self-reliance is doomed, and called the people to return to God and to rest in God’s strength.

Ezekiel is called to preach and serve God faithfully, even though he will have little initial success. He is to keep on anyways. We are called not to success but to faithful service, with the trust that God’s purposes will ultimately unfold.

The beasts of Daniel’s vision represent successive evil empires. We continue to deal with one evil after another. But the prophetic vision is the perception that God is on the throne, and God will ultimately triumph. No matter what evils may rage in our world, we can trust in Christ, and devote

Worship and professed belief are empty until they are expressed in action for God’s purposes. The basic sin of ancient Israel was apathy and unconcern for the needy. They thought they were O.K. with God and had no need to do anything further. If we truly receive what Christ does for us, we are

The “day of the Lord” was the anticipated day of God’s judgment upon sinners, which ancient Israelites imagined would be God’s wrath upon their enemies, but which the prophets proclaimed would be God’s severe judgment upon the people of Israel for their own sins. The prophets foresee a day of

This is the spectacular “Ezekiel saw the wheel” vision, in which Ezekiel has a vision which speaks of the glory of God, the fact that God is beyond description, and the fact that God is present in every place (God moves).